My Story

Music has always been a core component of my life.  A primary influence before I could speak, I was an accomplished singer by the age of four when I was recruited, through my parents of course, to appear as a singer on a local radio program. 

When someone asks me, “What are your influences?”  I just want to reply, “Yes!”

I think that, musically speaking, I was born into this world at a near perfect time.  I have lived through what I consider to be The Golden Age Of Music.  My father played the radio nearly constantly.  At a pre-school age I spent a great deal of time living in the home of an aunt and uncle.  I hung out in the kitchen with my aunt all day long while she cooked.  She always listened to the radio playing the old country greats like Hank Williams, The Grand Old Opry, Bill Monroe and many more.  All were, of course, major influences on the music of the decades that would follow.  I listened, sang along, learned the songs and learned the music.

The other branch of my family also lived in the country but they were a highly, even fanatically, religious bunch.  Even dancing was a sin to them.  Outside of church they didn’t have much to do with musical entertainment.  They were a primitive bunch to be sure, but in church – WE SANG!  No instruments.  No piano, no organ.  But we sang!  Oh, how we sang!  I’m talking about old time gospel.  The kind that makes you move your feet, clap, sway and pour your heart into it.  We sang!  And  I learned to put my heart and soul into music.

I don’t know if I should say The Blues were born from Gospel or Gospel was born from The Blues.  Whatever.  In my world, the two are inextricably bound together in their roots.

I grew up in the, comparatively, metropolitan big city of Memphis, Tennessee, where music was as much a part of my heritage as going to school.

By the time I started school it was the age of Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Sam Cooke, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ricky Nelson and more! Rock ‘n’ Roll was born and I was right there, baby.  My radio listening diverged from that of my parents.  Blending a gospel sound with rock-ish rhythm and harmonies inspired in part by early Bluegrass, Doo-Wop music became a passion.  I also listened to “alternative” radio.  Namely, R&B and “Soul”.

The British Invasion, of course, consolidated all those influences already percolating in my subconscious and remade Rock and Pop.

A decade or so of unbelievably artistic music creation followed.  From the early ’60’s to the early ’70’s was an intoxicating period for a young music lover.  New songs, new albums, the technological advances in sound reproduction… Wow!  What a time to be alive.

Almost every bar and every restaurant had a musician (or two or three) playing at least on weekend nights and that’s where I got my start.  Yes, I was the guy in the corner singing cover songs and strumming my guitar.

Fed up with the uncertainties and resulting insecurities of the Viet Nam era draft and the constant threats of global annihilation via nuclear war, I set out across the country on a sabbatical of sorts, playing music to pay for my living and travel expenses.  From New York to Hawaii I played and explored.

Some time around the mid to late ’70’s Outlaw Country broke on the music scene and entered its heyday.  It brought me full circle in my life.  My country roots connected with a modern movement.

I met my wife to be while gigging in Aspen, Colorado, for the season and the next year I returned to college to study business.

After raising a family, all of whom are musical I might add, I have returned to my musical roots.  My inner muse has freed itself. 

Today, there is a welcome revival of singer/songwriter folk, country and acoustic music.  I am right at home!  I am in the perfect place at the perfect time in The Golden Age Of Music.